U.S. patent number 6,868,557 [Application Number 10/654,364] was granted by the patent office on 2005-03-22 for garment with subpanel ventilation assembly.
Invention is credited to Michael van der Sleesen.
United States Patent |
6,868,557 |
van der Sleesen |
March 22, 2005 |
Garment with subpanel ventilation assembly
Abstract
A garment with a subpanel ventilation assembly includes an upper
air impervious panel having a top edge and a bottom edge, a lower
air impervious panel having a top edge and a bottom edge, an air
permeable vent panel having a top edge continuously joined with the
bottom edge of the upper air impervious panel, and a bottom edge
continuously joined with the top edge of the lower air impervious
panel, and an air impervious underlay panel underlying and spanning
the vent panel. The underlay panel includes peripheral edges
affixed to the peripheral edges of the vent panel. The underlay
panel includes a slit extending along a vent axis, wherein the slit
includes a selectively operable closure assembly extending
therealong.
Inventors: |
van der Sleesen; Michael
(Lakeville, MA) |
Family
ID: |
34218072 |
Appl.
No.: |
10/654,364 |
Filed: |
September 3, 2003 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
2/93;
2/DIG.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A41D
27/28 (20130101); Y10S 2/01 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A41D
27/00 (20060101); A41D 27/28 (20060101); A41D
003/02 () |
Field of
Search: |
;2/69,85,87,97,93-94,227-228,115,108,244,102,DIG.1,247,252,164,159,209.5
;D2/839,857 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Other References
Gershman, Maurice, Self-Adhering Nylon Tapes, Journal of the
American Medical Association, vol. 168, No. 7, p. 930, Oct.
1958..
|
Primary Examiner: Calvert; John J.
Assistant Examiner: Hoey; Alissa L.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: McDermott Will & Emery LLP
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A garment panel comprising: A. an upper air impervious outer
panel having two opposing side edges, a top edge extending between
first ends of said side edges, and a bottom edge extending between
second ends of said side edges; B. a lower air impervious outer
panel having two opposing side edges, a top edge extending between
first ends of said side edges, and a bottom edge extending between
second ends of said side edges; C. an air permeable vent outer
panel extending along a vent axis, and having a top edge and a
bottom edge opposite thereto on either side of said vent axis, said
top edge of said vent panel being continuously joined with said
bottom edge of said upper panel, and said bottom edge of said vent
panel being continuously joined with said top edge of said lower
panel; D. an air impervious underlay panel underlying and spanning
said vent outer panel, and having peripheral edges affixed to said
vent panel, and being adapted to be adjacent to the body of a
wearer of said garment, and wherein said underlay panel includes a
slit extending in the general direction of said vent axis, said
slit having a selectively operable closure assembly extending
therealong.
2. A garment panel according to claim 1, wherein said closure
assembly is a hook and loop fastener.
3. A garment panel according to claim 1, wherein said closure
assembly is a zipper.
4. A garment panel according to claim 3, wherein said zipper
includes multiple zip heads.
5. A garment panel according to claim 4, wherein said zipper
includes a pair of oppositely directed, facing zip heads.
6. A garment panel according to claim 4, wherein said zipper
includes a pair of oppositely directed, non-facing zip heads.
7. A garment panel according to claim 4, wherein said zipper
includes two pairs of oppositely directed, facing zip heads.
8. A garment panel according to claim 4, wherein said zipper
includes two pairs of oppositely directed, non-facing zip heads.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to ventilated garments, and, in
particular, to garment with subpanel ventilation assembly.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
When operating fast moving, relatively open vehicles such as
motorcycles, bicycles, and some aircraft, the use of protective
apparel is important. However, to be useful, protective apparel
must be comfortable enough to wear. Many of the garments commonly
used for such applications, such as leather suits and jackets, are
unacceptably uncomfortable because they provide poor ventilation.
Poor ventilation can be a serious problem during warm or moderate
weather.
Wearing poorly ventilated protective apparel is uncomfortable on
warm days because poor ventilation causes excessive heat buildup.
As a result, the wearer may discard the apparel on warm days.
Alternatively, the wearer may partially unfasten the front of the
garment to provide some ventilation. However, wearing an unfastened
garment can be hazardous when traveling at high speed. Air trapped
by the opened garment causes billowing or ballooning of the garment
and generates unstable forces on the wearer.
Ventilation assemblies for protective garments are known in the
art. One type of the prior art garment includes a ventilating
assembly having mesh vents at various locations on the garment,
particularly at locations requiring little protection, such as the
armpits and throat. Air scoops in the garment allow airflow into
the mesh vents and through the garment. The garment does not,
however, permit the wearer to selectively control the amount and
location of ventilation. The prior art ventilating assembly for the
garment also is uncomfortable for the wearer, and is hard use for
control of ventilation.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a
ventilating panel for a garment with an improved ventilation
assembly.
It is also an object of the invention to provide a ventilating
panel for a garment that offers increased comfort and simplicity of
design.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a ventilating
panel for a garment with an adjustable ventilating assembly that
provides increased ventilation over the body of the wearer.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become
apparent upon consideration of the appended drawings and
description thereof.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a garment with subpanel ventilation
assembly. According to one preferred embodiment of the present
invention, the garment panel includes an upper air impervious panel
having a top edge and a bottom edge, a lower air impervious panel
having a top edge and a bottom edge, an air permeable vent panel
having a top edge continuously joined with the bottom edge of the
upper air impervious panel, and a bottom edge continuously joined
with the top edge of the lower air impervious panel, and an air
impervious underlay panel underlying and spanning the vent panel.
The underlay panel includes peripheral edges affixed to the
peripheral edges of the vent panel. The garment panel is preferably
used as a back panel of a jacket, and the side edges of the garment
panel are preferably joined to the upper portion of the sleeves and
the front panel of the jacket.
The underlay panel further defines a slit extending along a vent
axis. A selectively operable closure assembly extends along the
slit for selectively opening or closing the slit. In one preferred
embodiment, the closure assembly is a zipper with multiple zip
heads. In one preferred form, the zipper includes one pair of
oppositely directed, facing or non-facing zip heads. In an
alternative form, the zipper includes two pairs of oppositely
directed, facing or non-facing zip heads. A wearer can adjust the
zip heads to control the amount and location of ventilation. In
another preferred embodiment, the closure assembly is a hook and
loop fastener. A wearer also can adjust the hook and loop fastener
to control the amount and location of ventilation.
The panel with the improved air venting assembly can be used with
any type of garment, including, for example, pants, vests,
leggings, chaps, gloves, and full-body suits.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
For a fuller understanding of the nature and the objects of the
invention, reference should be made to the following detailed
description and the accompanying drawings in which like reference
numerals refer to like elements, and in which:
FIG. 1 shows a front schematic view of a garment panel with a
ventilating assembly in accordance with one preferred embodiment of
the present invention, wherein the panel is used as a back panel of
a jacket;
FIG. 2 shows a rear schematic view of a garment panel having a
ventilating assembly in accordance with one preferred embodiment of
the present invention, with a closure assembly partially
opened;
FIG. 3A shows a rear schematic view of a garment panel having a
ventilating assembly in accordance with another preferred
embodiment of the present invention, showing that the vent opening
is completely closed;
FIG. 3B shows a rear schematic view of a garment panel having a
ventilating assembly in accordance with another preferred
embodiment of the present invention, showing that the vent opening
is partially open;
FIG. 3C shows a rear schematic view of a panel having a ventilating
assembly in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the
present invention, showing that the vent opening is fully open;
FIG. 4 shows a rear schematic view of a garment panel with a
ventilating assembly having a pair of oppositely directed,
non-facing zip heads, in accordance with another preferred
embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 5 shows a rear schematic view of a panel with a ventilating
assembly having two pairs of oppositely directed, non-facing zip
heads, in accordance with a further preferred embodiment of the
present invention;
FIG. 6 shows a rear schematic view of a panel with a ventilating
assembly having three zip heads, in accordance with a further
preferred embodiment of the present invention; and
FIG. 7 shows a rear schematic view of a panel with a ventilating
assembly having a hook and loop fastener in accordance with a
further preferred embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
FIG. 1 shows a front view of a panel 12 designed with a ventilating
assembly in accordance with the present invention, which is used as
a back panel of a jacket. According to one preferred embodiment of
the present invention, the panel 12 includes an upper air
impervious panel 14, a lower air impervious panel 16, an air
permeable vent panel 18 positioned between the upper air impervious
panel 14 and the lower air impervious panel 16 and joining the two
air impervious panels 14 and 16 together, and an air impervious
underlay panel 20 underlying and spanning the vent panel 18.
According to one aspect of the present invention, the upper air
impervious panel 14 includes two opposing edges, a top edge 22 and
a bottom edge 24. The lower air impervious panel 16 also includes
two opposing edges, a top edge 26 and a bottom edge 28. The air
permeable vent panel 18 extends along a vent axis X, and also
includes a top edge 30 and a bottom edge 32 on either side of the
vent axis X. The top edge 30 of the vent panel 18 is continuously
joined with the bottom edge 24 of the upper panel 14 by stitches or
by other suitable means. The bottom edge 32 of the vent panel 18 is
continuously joined to the top edge 26 of the lower panel 16. The
vent panel 18 is made of an air permeable material, such as a mesh
or otherwise perforated material, which admits air into and out of
the garment. The side edges of the panels may either coupled to the
upper portion of the sleeves or the front panel of the jacket
10.
FIG. 2 shows the rear view of the panel 12. As shown in FIG. 2, the
air impervious underlay panel 20 underlies and spans the air
permeable vent panel 18. The underlay panel 20 also includes a top
edge 34 and bottom edge 36 respectively affixed to the top edge 30
and bottom edge 32 of the vent panel. The underlay panel 20 further
defines a slit 40 extending along the vent axis X. A selectively
operable closure assembly 42 extends along the slit 40 for
selectively opening or closing the slit 40.
In one preferred embodiment, the closure assembly 42 is a zipper
with multiple zip heads, for example, four zip heads as shown in
FIG. 2, two zip heads as shown in FIG. 4, and three zip heads as
shown in FIG. 6. The zipper can be adjusted to open some part of
the slit to admit air in or out of the panel. For instance, when
the zip heads 52 are positioned as shown in FIG. 2, portions as
denoted by A of the slit 40 are open and the vent panel 18 exposes,
forming vent openings, and portions as denoted by B are closed by
the zipper. Thus, a wearer can adjust the zip heads to control the
amount and location of ventilation.
FIGS. 3A-3C show another preferred embodiment of the present
invention with a pair of oppositely directed, facing zip heads 52.
FIG. 3A shows that the two zip heads 52 are positioned at one end
of the zipper 42, and the slit 40 is fully closed by the zipper 42.
At this time, no ventilation is allowed. FIG. 3B shows that the
slit 40 is partially opened by the zipper 42, forming a relative
small vent opening A. FIG. 3C shows that the two zip heads 52 are
positioned at two ends of the zipper. At this time, the slit 40 is
fully opened, forming a relatively large vent opening A.
The zipper 42 may include multiple zip heads 52 directed in the
same directions, or in opposite directions. FIG. 2 shows a
preferred embodiment, in which the zipper 42 includes two pairs of
oppositely directed, facing zip heads 52. FIG. 4 shows another
preferred embodiment of the present invention, in which the zipper
42 includes a pair of oppositely directed, non-facing zip heads 52.
FIG. 5 shows another preferred embodiment, in which the zipper 42
includes two pairs of oppositely directed, non-facing zip heads 52.
FIG. 6 shows yet another preferred embodiment of the present
invention, in which the zipper 42 includes odd number zip heads,
for example, three zip heads.
FIG. 7 shows another preferred embodiment of the present invention,
in which the closure assembly 42 is a hook and loop fastener. A
wearer also can adjust the hook and loop fastener 42 to control the
amount and location of ventilation.
The panel with improved air venting assembly described herein is
not only able to be used as a back panel of a jacket as illustrated
in the figures, but also applicable to any type of garment,
including, for example, front panel of a jacket, pants, vests,
leggings, chaps, gloves, and full-body suits.
The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without
departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The
present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects
as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention
being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing
description, and all changes which come within the meaning and
range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be
embraced therein.
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